Philadelphia cancels China
NewsThe Philadelphia Orchestra has called off a China tour next May out of fear over ‘uncertainty about Covid protocols.’
The same orchestra refused to play Beethoven’s ninth at the Edinburgh Festival this summer because the chorus was not masked.
Boston Symphony, on the other hand, are going ahead with an Asia tour.
It could be that Philly is out on a limb.
Story here.
Xi is just a terrible dictator.
They looked very weird all masked up on the niggt oc the Queen’s death wkth their American masks in London – on imported American rules to England, and an audience without singing God Save The King for the first time. And then refusing to do the Beethoven Ninth with a Scottish chorus because of American Covid rules again. Hey, ho, none so queer as folk, as they say!
Bad as the US is at present, I don’t think the British can afford to throw stones at present.
“Hey, ho”….they have bigger problems.
There are no such masking rules in Philadelphia. These woke morons are doing this themselves.
The results speak for themselves. There hasn’t been a major Covid-19 outbreak in the Philadelphia Orchestra while there has been in Boston (earlier this year, which prompted the cancellation of their Europe tour). But the anti-maskers on Slipped Disc will believe what they want to believe.
Here in Chicago, we played “Don Giovanni last August at Ravinia’s indoor venue, the Martin Theater. the strings were masked, the winds of course could not be. At the last performance fully half of the winds and brass were out with COVID, there were a lot of unrehearsed musicians that afternoon. As far as I know, none of the strings contracted it. Anecdotal evidence, certainly, but if was just random chance it was quite a remarkable coincidence.
In 20 years we will know exactly what we should have done to contend with this pandemic. In the meantime, people are doing the best they can with the evidence that is available; at least the more intelligent and less ideological are relying on evidence. But the right course is not at all clear, and I get tired of those who beat up on well meaning rational people who are of a different opinion.
Why I no longer go to the CSO. Enjoy your pulmonary fibrosis from the bacteria laden threads going into your lungs. Not an anti masker I just know how to research and there was a court case about this very thing where Doctors provided evidence that you are more susceptible to garnering a respiratory virus than myself, the anti-masker. P.S. I haven’t been sick since 2008, you?
In the course of doing your own research, which is no doubt rigorously peer reviewed, you somehow failed to discern that the CSO is no longer requiring its audience to be masked.
As usual Max you are the voice of reason.
P.S. Half the woodwinds/brass out with Covid? So that’s a coincidence, not science. Now, the VAX has been proven to lower immunity and I know all of you are on the 4th deciding to believe in criminals accused of lying in the largest Pharma Fraud suit in history. Maybe do more research. Stress makes you sick too. Maybe the string section gives the blow section dirty looks.
Every Western embassy advise against going to China because of their covid policies at the moment. Nobody is “out on a limb” here.
BSO are by the way going to Japan, not China.
China is a different matter than the UK. You’d think perhaps they could have waited, but better, I imagine, to make plans for May months out. How about a little spontaneous road trip around Pennsylvania?
“How about a little spontaneous road trip around Pennsylvania?”
Bravo!
As evidenced by all the empty seats at Verizon Hall the ever so cautious PC PO is slowly working it’s way into irrelevance.
Boston is touring Japan. Not relevant to compare it with China’s covid madness.
It’s too bad. The Philadelphia Orchestra was the one the make the breakthrough of playing in China some 50 years ago at President Nixon’s request. They were great musical ambassadors. But now, too many people either in the orchestra or on the podium or something are just insanely paranoid about Covid. We now know the truth: the vaccines are not very effective and can have dangerous side effects, and masks that most people use are utterly worthless – you know, the ones made in China we all buy.
“the vaccines are not very effective”…:
I just hope “J Barcelo” is not your real name, because if it is, you’re telling the world that “J Barcelo” has no clue of what he/she is talking about, and is an idiot. And even worse, an ideologue.
I hope you’re not an actual doctor, Herr Doktor. Either way, you’re in for a rude awakening.
Da, Comrade Andrew!
Da!!
Funny that you think I’m Russian. Here’s another insider tip from an American: your enemies aren’t in Moscow.
I don’t see the world in a way that suggests that people who think differently than I do, even if completely moronic, are my enemies.
I’m sorry that you do.
Out on a limb? Hardly. And they’re saving a ton of money.
My guess is that they are not going to China because of China’s rediculous zero COVID policy, not because of “wokeness” or their own fear of catching COVID. Currently, if Philadelphia would play in a city in China and that city would develop some COVID cases, the orchestra could be forced to stay in their hotel rooms for weeks (without being allowed to even go outside). China has this policy because they don’t have our great vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna..), so COVID is more dangerous there.
It could also be that Boston is out on a limb, if someone gets Covid or if some orchestra members face restrictions due to issues with vaccine certification. Chinese authorities don’t mess around. I think that Philadelohia took the more prudent course.
Boston’s tour is entirely in Japan; no Chinese authorities will be involved.
The Boston Symphony is going to Japan, not China.
Turbo-cucked soysimps afraid to leave daddy’s house of teats. Just wear a mask like a man then you won’t have to worry about filthy red China.
Nobody here seems to have read the article in the Philadelphia Inquirer which clearly states the reason they cancelled. I would have cancelled, too.
“The Philadelphia Orchestra has scrapped its upcoming tour of China — concerned, it says, over COVID-19 protocols in the country that could have forced it to leave behind members of the orchestra.”
Norman….The picture you used Tony and Julia is truly offensive and you need to change it. Did you do that on purpose?
It was chosen at random by oe of our editors. No-one else has complained.